[su_spacer size=”20″] Herschel Walker was born in the Augusta, Georgia area and grew up in Wrightsville, GA where he attended and graduated from Johnson County high school. He played varsity football for the Trojans from 1976-1979 as well as basketball and track. While at Johnson County, he helped the high school football and track teams to state championship titles.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Walker was a member of the Bulldawg’s 1980 recruiting class and played for another Georgia legend, head coach Vince Dooley. The Peach State running back was donned with the number 34 and went on to help lead the Dawgs to a 1980 SEC Championship and College Football Poll National Championship. His freshman season, Walker rushed for 1,616 yards on 272 carries in 11 games and scored 15 touchdowns. He still holds the record for the most rushing yards for a UGA freshman.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Walker had many memorable runs during his record setting freshman season at running back at Georgia, but the one run that many Bulldawg fans remember is number 34 running over Tennessee’s Bill Bates on September 6th, 1980 on his way to a touchdown.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia’s Herschel Walker runs over Tennessee’s Bill Bates
[su_spacer size=”40″] During Herschel Walker’s sophomore season in 1981, he would go on to carry the ball 385 times for 1,891 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping to lead the Dawgs to back-to-back SEC Championships. The 1981 season was bitter sweet as the 2nd rank Georgia Bulldawgs lost to the 8th ranked Pittsburgh Panthers in the Sugar Bowl 20-24. Georgia would finish the season 10-2 and number 5 in the Coaches’ poll, 6th in the AP. Herschel’s 1981 season rushing total still stands as the single season school record for a UGA running back as well as the SEC.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In Walker’s junior season, he would rush for 1,752 yards on 335 carries and punched the ball into the end zone 17 times. On Herschel’s legs, Georgia won their 3rd SEC Championship in a row in 1982, and Walker brought home the Heisman Trophy, becoming the Bulldawg’s second only Heisman winner over its 123 year history of football. Georgia finished the regular season undefeated that year and went into the Sugar Bowl ranked number 1 in the nation to face the 2nd ranked Penn State. Again, the ’82 season would end on a bitter sweet note as Georgia lost by 4 points, 23-27 to the Nittany Lions.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Walker would forgo his senior season in 1983 and headed to the pros, but not to the NFL. He was tempted to the new United States Football League to play for the New Jersey Generals. Walker would play in the USFL for the Generals for 3 years and would carry the ball 1,143 times for the New Jersey team, rushing for 5,562 yards and 53 touchdowns. Walker also caught the ball 130 times for 1,484 yards and 7 touchdowns.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Herschel Walker USFL Highlights |HD
[su_spacer size=”40″] Herschel Walker then joined the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL in 1986 and would play for the Cowboys for 4 years before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 1989 for 5 players and 6 draft picks. He played for the Vikings for the next 3 seasons and then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 where he would also play for 3 seasons through 1994. After the Eagles, Walker would sign with the New York Giants for the 1995 season and then went back to the Cowboys in 1996, playing for Dallas for 2 seasons.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Walker would retire from professional football after the 1997 season with the Cowboys. During his NFL career, Herschel rushed for 8,225 yards on 1,954 carries and had 512 receptions for 4,859 yards, scoring a total of 82 touchdowns. He also had 215 kick returns for 5,084 yards and 2 TDs where he average 23.6 yards per kick return.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Herschel Walker Dallas Cowboy tribute
[su_spacer size=”40″] The legendary Herschel Walker is one of only four University of Georgia football players along with number 21 Frank Sinkwich, number 62 Charley Trippi, and number 40 Theron Sapp.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Walker’s number 34 was retired in 1985. He still holds many rushing records for the University of Georgia including:
[su_spacer size=”20″] Most rushes in a single game at 47 versus Florida in 1981
Most rushes in a season at 385 for the 1981 season
Most rushes in a career at 994 from 1980-1982
Most rushes per game in a season at 35 for the 1981 season
Most rushes per game in a career at 31.1 from 1980-1982
Most rushing yards in one season at 1,891 yards for the 1981 season
Most rushing yards in a career at 5,259 yards from 1980-1982
Most average rushing yards per game at 171.9 for the 1981 season
Most average yards per game for career at 159.4 from 1980-1982
Most rushing touchdowns for a career at 49 from 1980-1982
Most rushing yards for a freshman at 1,616 yards for the 1980 season
Most rushing yards for a sophomore at 1,891 yards for the 1981 season
Most rushing yards for a junior at 1,752 yards for the 1982 season
[su_spacer size=”40″] For a full list of Herschel Walker’s college football and school records:
[su_spacer size=”40″] Football
[su_spacer size=”40″] So what is the University of Georgia’s legend up to now? What does one of the greatest college football running backs of all time do in his 50s? Why mixed martial arts of course:
[su_spacer size=”40″] Raw Video: Herschel Walker Wins MMA Debut